Many sellers now opt for staging services to ensure that their home doesn’t remain on the market for long and that they receive the highest offer possible. If you’re buying a condo in Yorkville or King West, you’ll find that the majority of units are professionally staged, but as you move to less desirable neighbourhoods and less in-demand buildings, staging becomes less common.

It’s true that staging can be valuable for sellers and buyers, but it’s not always necessary and there are many things you can do to prepare your home for sale that don’t require professional help.

Painting with neutral colours

That bright yellow kitchen might have felt like a great choice at the time, but prospective buyers could be thrown by your colour preference—and overlook the potential of your home. Painting rooms in neutral colours allows your home to appeal to a wider demographic, while also making it easier for buyers to envision putting their own personal touches on the home.

Painting in lighter colours can make a room look bigger and feel warmer.

Landscaping

Often ignored by sellers, the condition of your property can have a big impact on how likely a buyer is to be interested; this applies to your lawn and garden too. A property that has a well groomed garden and freshly cut grass shows far better than a home with overgrown bushes and an ankle deep lawn.

Sometimes this is as simple has just mowing the lawn, other times it might require more effort — such as removing weeds and unsightly plants or trimming back tree branches.

A Thorough Cleaning

In order to properly show your home, it has to be clean — that’s a given, right? Not always. Old odors from smoking, cooking, or family pets can linger in a home and we often adjust to them to the point that they’re ignored. Deodorize your home and if you’re not sure about what smells you might be immune to, ask a friend or your realtor for an honest assessment of the odor of your home.

Remove Clutter

It’s sometimes necessary to go beyond just cleaning and remove any cumbersome clutter from your house or condo.

Do you love clowns so much that you just had to decorate your home with as many of them as possible? It’s probably a good idea to remove them, although one seller in Brantford famously elected to keep their décor intact. By all means, decorate your home in a way that makes it feel like home, but when it comes time to sell, try and remove anything jarring, creepy, or otherwise unsightly. You want your potential buyers to appreciate your home rather than get caught up in quirky design elements.

Another important part of this is to depersonalize your home. If you’re using a bedroom as a gym or a craft workshop, it might be best to convert it back into a bedroom for sale. Again, you want a buyer to envision the space as being theirs, not yours.

Show your Storage

It’s tempting to declutter your house by packing all of your excess things into storage spaces, but you’re doing yourself a disservice. Buyers are concerned with storage space — so show it off. Decluttering closets and storage rooms as well can really improve a buyer’s outlook. By showing off all available storage rather than utilizing it to hide junk, you’ll give a better first impression.

Get Rid of Those Old Carpets

You never want to over upgrade when you’re planning to move; splurging on marble counters and herringbone hardwood floors won’t necessarily give you the return you’re looking for. However, old carpets can be a red flag for buyers who are worried about allergens and germs. Removing old carpets is relatively simple and they can be replaced by a cost effective laminate or Vinyl flooring.

Depending on the market, it might make sense to invest more but if you’re not sure, it’s always a good idea to ask your realtor.